Apparatus for assisting subjects from supine to sitting position

Abstract

A frame structure has an adjustable height and width and comprises a pair of parallel triangular trusses each having a hypotenuse handrail member defining a series of successive ascending cylindrical handhold surfaces. The structure is dimensioned to sit on the top surface of a standard mattress and is anchored by a strap component that connects and wraps either around the headboard or under the bed (i.e mattress). Its two side handrails sit on either side of the user and connect to the top, bottom and back of the frame. The upwardly extending side rails provide a succession of cylindrical handholds of increasing elevation to enable the subject to pull themselves up from a supine position to a sitting position with little to no use of their abdominal muscles. The handrails are collapsible allowing the user greater range of motion and mobility once upright and seated.

1 . A support frame for use in helping a subject to raise themselves to a sitting position in bed, comprising:
 a first triangular truss,   a second triangular truss, and   at least one linkage connected between the first triangular trust and the second triangular truss and structured to maintain the first and second triangular trusses parallel to one another,   wherein a hypotenuse member of the first triangular truss and a hypotenuse member of the second triangular truss are structured and dimensioned to provide opposing handrails for a supine subject occupying space between the first and second trusses.   
     
     
         2 . The support frame of  claim 1  wherein no part of the support frame is suspended directly above the subject, horizontal portions of the first and second trusses are structured and dimensioned to rest on the sleeping surface of the bed, and the hypotenuse members each provide a series of successive ascending cylindrical handhold surfaces the supine subject can grasp. 
     
     
         3 . A user-assisting apparatus which enables mobility from a supine to upright position comprising:
 a support structure,   plural upwardly extending grasping members suspended by the support structure frame; and   an anchoring system   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the support structure comprises a frame including:
 two vertical telescoping members connected perpendicularly at their respective bases to two horizontal telescoping members creating an L-shaped substructure, wherein within the L-shaped substructure, all telescoping members expand away from the connection site, and the two L-shaped substructures are parallelly positioned and connected to each other by two more horizontal members whereby the lower horizontal member joins at the respective connection sites of the two L-Shaped substructures and the upper horizontal member joins to the parallel vertical telescoping members. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein connection sites of the L-Shaped substructures and the lower horizontal connecting member are held together by three-way elbow coupling mechanisms or corner fittings, such three-way fittings having appendages on the x, y and z planes wherein the angles are all at 90 degrees, such corner fittings accepting three segments of members: vertical telescoping members, horizontal telescoping members and horizontal connecting members. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein connection sites of the upper horizontal connecting member and the vertical telescoping members are held together with Tee couplings consisting of two sockets inline and one perpendicular appendage so that the angles are 90 degrees, the socket aspect of the Tee coupling fitting around or semi around the vertical telescoping members while the perpendicular appendage connects to the second horizontal connecting member. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein an upper horizontal connecting member is adjustable in that it can be moved by sliding the Tee couplings lower or higher along the vertical telescoping members, thus creating an infinite range of rectangular sized subframes on the back plane of the structure. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the elbow couplings consist of tube locking spring button clips that lock into the structure to keep them connected. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the tee coupling appendages consist of tube locking spring button clips that lock into the structure to keep them connected. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the support structure is configured and dimensioned to be employed on a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the support structure comprises rigid tubular structures that are circular in cross-section and that are 0.5 inch to 1.5 inch in diameter to support the weight of a person. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the support structure is made from a material sturdy enough to support the weight of a person as she is lifting herself up using the apparatus such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the exterior of the support structure material has a smooth, matte, anodized, finish to increase corrosion and wear resistance. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein plural grasping members are connected at non-perpendicular angles to the plural horizontal telescoping support members and the plural vertical telescoping support members of the support structure in a triangular composition so that the plural gripping members being configured and dimensioned to extend upwardly away from the horizontal surface. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the plural upwardly extending grasping members being dimensioned and oriented to provide a succession of increasingly elevated handhold positions for the user. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the grasping members are hinged to the top of the telescoping vertical support members as well as hinged to the ends of the plural telescoping horizontal support members. As such, the grasping members are collapsible and expandible relative to the expansion position of the plural telescoping horizontal and vertical support members thereby altering the angle at which the grasping members protrude away from any surface. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the grasping members comprise rigid tubular structures that are circular in cross-section and that are 0.5 inch to 1.5 inch in diameter in order to be grasped by a range of human hand sizes. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the grasping members are made from a material sturdy enough to support the weight of a person as she is lifting herself up using the apparatus such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the grasping members exterior have a smooth, matte, anodized, finish to increase corrosion and wear resistance. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the grasping members are incased with additional foam or rubber material which provides superior user grip and ergonomic comfort. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein at least one anchoring member structured, dimensioned and oriented to simultaneously be connected to the support structure and disposed beneath a mattress, beneath a bed frame or behind the headboard in order to stabilize the apparatus. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the anchor member is composed of two, 1-inch-wide straps made from polyester tie down webbing. One end of each strap is looped so that it can easily slide onto and connect to each side of the support structure; the other ends of the two straps are then positioned under or behind the bed and connected to each other via a Cam Buckle, wherein the strap connected in total is 20′ in length to fit around any size bed, the strap has a breaking strength of 3,000 pounds, the Cam Buckle has a breaking strength of 1,500 pounds, and assembled, the anchoring member has a 500-pound working load limit to support the weight of an average human. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the anchoring member is adjustable in size or length using straps and buckle apparatus to tighten and stabilize the apparatus. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 3  being symmetrically dimensioned and configured in relation to the user to provide equally distributed support for the weight and movement of the user. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 3  being portable, dismantlable, and removable irrespective of surface as to be easily sanitized. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 3  in which the plural grasping members having at least portions dimensioned and configured so an upwardly-facing human user supine on the sleeping surface can grip the plural grasping members by at least partially encircling the grasping members with their at least partially closed hands, the plural grasping members being further configured and dimensioned to support the weight of the human user as the human user grips the grasping members to progressively suspend and pull their upper body up and away from the horizontal surface and themself into an upright seated position between the support frame and between the plural gripping members.